Speech by Greg Barker at the Ecobuild Conference - Solar Energy ...

Tuesday 20 March

Check against delivery

I?m delighted to be here at the Ecobuild conference.? We have come a long way since I spoke about the Green Deal at this conference last year.? We are now entering the final stretch up to the launch of the Green Deal this autumn.

When the Coalition was formed one of our first pledges was for this to be the Greenest Government ever. At the heart of this pledge- particularly given the tough economy we inherited - is energy efficiency.?

In a world of increasing energy prices, market volatility and rising energy imports, energy efficiency has never been more important.??

That is why we are creating something brand new - the Green Deal.? It is truly revolutionary. It will help homeowners, landlords and tenants get a whole range of home improvements beyond insulation, including a whole range of front of house, eye catching measures.

The Green Deal will act as a catalyst to stimulate innovation so that more and more energy savings products come to the market?

Today, I wanted to draw out three key points to unpack that simple description of the Green Deal:

• Firstly, this is a brand new way of approaching energy efficiency.? Not a continuation of CERT, CESP, not a son of this or daughter of that;
• Secondly, it will create a brand new market and opportunities for industry.? A market for the aspirational, not just for the worthy or energy sensible;
• Thirdly, don?t underestimate the power of communities in their many shapes and forms.? These will be key to? delivering this agenda

But first, to give more context.?

In the UK, we have some of the worst performing buildings in Europe.?? More than half of our homes don?t have sufficient insulation.? They leak heat like a sieve.?

The UK building stock was responsible for 43% of total UK emissions in 2009.

And despite the relatively mild winter we are coming through, increasing numbers of families are struggling to pay their energy bills and have been hit by rising energy prices. We estimate that this year up to 4.1m households will be in fuel poverty in England alone.

Energy efficiency can help tackle each of these challenges.? It is a win-win-win scenario: reducing emissions, saving money and creating opportunities for business.

New approach

The Green Deal places consumers at the centre of energy efficiency policy.? It isn?t about stop start Government driven and owned programme of works.? It is about consumers driving demand, and a competitive market responding.?

Home Improvements

Backed with strong consumer protection, we are providing people with opportunities for investing in their home ? and let?s face it, people are always looking to improve their homes, even in times of austerity.? It is part of the British DNA.

Perhaps the tangible benefits energy efficiency improvements can bring, is best illustrated by some pictures.? Taking a leaf from the many home improvement shows and magazines - here are some before and after pictures:

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These improvements are a result of a partnership between East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Saint-Gobain Weber and Lloyd Clough.

An area of 55 streets was identified and all properties were of solid wall construction, with the majority around 100 years old.? Measures applied were External Wall Insulation, loft insulation and some heating improvements as well as some street improvements.

As you can see the solid wall insulation has drastically improved the appearance of the properties and improved the energy efficiency.? Feedback from the project has demonstrated an increased sense of community and a renewed pride in the area.

To give a second example, I had the pleasure of visiting Salford last year, including a tour of homes installed with external solid wall insulation.?

Homes on the Regent Park estate were built in the 1970s, timber framed with no wall insulation.?

As they had a traditional brick appearance, residents were keen to keep the look.? This was something they achieved with a brick effect render on top of the insulation.? Here is a resident, talking me through the finished effect.

Energy efficiency aside, this has clear kerb appeal too.?

So I think it important to recognise that energy efficiency is not just about saving carbon, important though that is.? It is also about providing people with homes they are happy to live in.? It is about tapping into a sense of home improvement.

Market making

Of course, the Green Deal isn?t just good for the consumer.??
It is also good for economic growth.? There is a considerable new market opportunity for businesses and industry.?

Our analysis supporting consultation proposals suggest that employment in the sector could more than double by 2015.? Personally I think these are conservative estimates. And we are talking about billions of pounds worth of investment.? This needs to be seen as a 20 year programme which has long term confidence.

In this way, the Green Deal is as much a part of our growth agenda as it is a part of our climate change policy.??
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No longer will every discussion on energy efficiency focus solely on the insulation industry.? The Green Deal has been designed to finance the installation of a broad range of measures across the energy efficiency market.? Our goal is to enable the property to benefit from all the improvements that can create savings.

The heating, glazing, lighting and Microgeneration industries will all be able to use this innovative financing mechanism.?

Less we-known measures which improve energy efficiency, such as flue gas heat recovery and waste water recovery systems will also be eligible for finance under the Green Deal.

Some new measures have been included in the Green Deal following the consultation with particular relevance to the non domestic buildings.? Some of these are simple improvements, such as solar blinds and shading devices ? but they can make a big difference to energy savings.

I also want to make clear that where measures which often can?t pay for themselves over their lifetime, they can still be part-financed, either on their own, or as part of a package. As a result, customers can benefit from a package of improvements, safe in the knowledge that the Green Deal charge will always be less than the savings the measures can generate.?

We will also streamline the process by which new measures are added to the Green Deal. We want to ensure that new and innovative measures can be included in the framework on a systematic basis once their performance is independently verified.

It was announced on 8th March that we will be funding a ?10 million competition to be launched in early May to support incorporation of innovative technologies which can achieve significant energy savings in existing non-domestic buildings.

Market Potential

The market for energy efficiency is large.? Around 6 million households do not have double glazing in all their windows.? Approximately 70% of English homes do not have a full set of heating controls.? And there are still 16.4 million non-condensing boilers

Sector specific updates

All sectors which manufacture, distribute and install Green Deal eligible measures can benefit from the new financing arrangements.

The insulation sector will see a large increase in investment as we start to tackle the 7 million solid wall properties that have yet to be treated. It is vital the growth of the sector is safe and sustainable.

Microgeneration

I would like to confirm the position for the Microgeneration industry.? The Green Deal and Renewable Heat Incentive are two key policies for DECC. There are a number of potential links between the Green Deal and the domestic element of the RHI, including similarity of customer base, and some technologies.

Some renewable heat technologies will be eligible under the Green Deal finance.??

In addition, improving energy efficiency in a property can help to boost the effectiveness of many renewable heat technologies, such as air and ground source heat pumps.

We believe there is plenty of scope for greater integration in the marketing of the RHI and the Green Deal, allowing consumers to make more informed consumer choices.

Demand

The framework opens up the market, but we know that for industry it is essential the demand is there, so you can be confident in your investment.?

Although the Green Deal is a market driven initiative, we recognise that we have an important role to play.

The Chancellor announced a ?200m injection of Government funding to provide a time limited introductory offer. It demonstrates that we are serious about hitting the ground running. We will lay out the details of how this will be used as we get closer to the launch of the Green Deal.?

Colleagues in the Department of Communities and Local Government are consulting on changes to Part L of the Building Regulations that could further drive take up of energy efficiency measures from October 2012.

Consumer Advice Line

It is of course vital that consumers have the information to feel confident in making decisions about installing energy efficiency measures and which Green Deal offer is best for them.

To address this, a new advice service goes live on 2nd April, and will initially provide impartial advice to consumers on existing energy efficiency offers and renewable energy incentives.

This service will come into its own in the run up to, and following the launch, of the Green Deal.

Opportunities for Industry

To help ensure the best deal for consumers, we wanted to encourage a wide variety of different businesses, local authorities, social housing providers and third sector organisations to play a role in this new market.??

I?m pleased to say there are a number of organisations looking to enter the market with a variety of different business models.? These models include -? but are by no means restricted to -? keeping all the functions in house, out sourcing the supply chain and working in partnership with SMEs.?

Green Deal Providers

We want a thriving Green Deal Provider market. We want a range of providers to enter the market, each with their own unique selling points.

We have revisited our consultation position on Green Deal provider authorisation requirements to help promote a competitive market, and reduce costs which will ultimately be passed onto the consumer. Within this, we are of course ensuring that robust consumer standards are met, creating a market that balances consumer protection and burdens on businesses.?

Consumer protection is at the heart of the Green Deal and we want to make sure the Green Deal is the best deal for everyone. As a result, it is essential to strike a balance between adequate consumer protection and not creating cost prohibitive barriers to market entry.
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With this in mind, I am pleased to announce that we are proposing to remove the requirement for Green Deal Providers to have a surety bond in place prior to authorisation.

In addition, we are removing the need for Green Deal Providers to provide an Independent Conciliation Service. Instead, we are procuring a bespoke Green Deal Ombudsman to deal with any Green Deal complaints.

We have also changed the warranties proposal, removing the requirement to hold warranties for the length of the plan. We are still proposing to include robust minimum standards.

?Use of existing schemes where appropriate will mean that consumers will receive as much protection as is available. Where schemes don?t exist, our proposal to include a 5 year product warranty plus ten years of consequential building damage cover go further than the current industry norm. The minimum requirements we are putting in place means the warranty will be of real value to the consumer.

Consumer protection is still of utmost importance and we really feel that the position we have reached is the most suitable for consumers and business.

Industry Gearing Up

But it?s not just companies themselves gearing up, it?s about ensuring industry understand their place in the Green Deal and are aware of the many opportunities that it brings about.

A Green Deal Provider guide to be issued by the Department shortly will contain a step by step guide on how to become a Green Deal Provider.

I am aware the Construction Products Association and Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes have collaborated with a number of other industry partners to produce a ?Green Deal Opportunities for Industry? document.? This is aimed at helping the whole supply chain to gear up for the Green Deal and will be published in the coming weeks.

The National Insulation Association recently released a Green Deal? bulletin service aimed at providing information and support to their Members.

We have been having conversations with organisations from the outset, but the tone is changing.? It is time to move from theory to practice.

I would encourage you to consider your role in the Green Deal.?

I was pleased that DECC announced on 8th March ?3.5m to train assessors and installers.? We are working closely with the Green Deal Skills Alliance to ensure that support goes to where it is most needed.? ?2.5m of this will be to train solid wall insulation installers with the help of Construction Skills. ?1m will be used to train Green Deal Advisors, operating at the front line of the Green Deal.

We hope to set out more detail on this in May.

I am also pleased to announce that DECC, working with supply chain experts will host a series of up to ten regional events as we get nearer to the launch of the Green Deal.? These events will be designed to ensure that companies up and down the country ? small or large - understand what they need to do to be in the Green Deal.

Advisors

Having the right professionals to provide quality impartial advice to households and businesses is necessary? for the success of the Green Deal.

We have been doing a significant amount of work with stakeholders to design the right assessment framework to support the Green Deal. National Occupational Standards setting out the high level expectations of all Green Deal Advisors are already available on the DECC website.

We have also responded to your feedback to the consultation. We are strengthening the protections for consumers ? providing them with more transparent information on the role of the advisor before a visit even take place. These changes will bolster the already robust framework whilst allowing? advisors to operate as part of a dynamic and flexible market. These improvements will be set out in the syllabus for all Green Deal Advisors that will be ready by the end of March.

Preparations are well underway to develop material to help training of Green Deal Advisors get off to a flying start.?? In the coming months we look forward to the first batch of Green Deal Advisors being trained.

Installers

Our framework has been designed to create robust standards for the installation of measures to increase consumer confidence, whilst ensuring we are realistic about what industry can deliver and building on existing best practice.

The British Standards Institution recently published? the new standard for Green Deal installers. This represents a huge achievement and I am grateful to those industry representatives who worked with us to create this standard in record time.

Those wishing to install measures under the Green Deal must be certified to the new standard. We are working closely with the UK Accreditation Service to ensure certification bodies are ready and authorised in time.

We are continuing to work with the sector skills councils to update and develop new National Occupational Standards and identify where further support is likely to be required to build up the skilled workforce we will need.

Manufacturers

For manufacturers the Green Deal will drive innovation and ensure quality standards are maintained.? We will also develop a process to recognise the ?better than average? performance of products in the financing arrangements.??

Energy Company Obligation
Of course, it?s not all about the Green Deal.? We?re also ensuring through the new Energy Company Obligation that support is provided to tackle fuel poverty and for those who need the most expensive measures such as solid wall insulation.

Brokerage

We are working with industry to design a market-based brokerage system which will give Green Deal Providers a fair and transparent means of accessing ECO subsidy. This will mean they can make a competitive offer to consumers who are looking for a Green Deal that includes expensive solid wall measures.

Power of communities

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, strong local participation will also be key to rolling out the Green Deal.? We don?t want pepper-potting.? We want a coherent role out from a range of partners.?

This Government is passionate about giving more power and responsibility to local people, neighbourhoods and communities to create better local services and outcomes.? It is the Big Society.?

And the Green Deal offers opportunities for Big Society style collaborations working with and through a range of partnerships according to local needs.

Landlords ? both private and social - could all have an important role to play here, alongside Local Authorities and Community Organisations.

These organisations will know the needs and wants in their local areas.? They will also be able to foster local economic development including supporting the maintenance and generation of local jobs and skills.

There is already evidence that communities are responding.? Our ?10 million Local Energy Assessment Fund is helping local communities come forward with their plans and preparation for the Green Deal.?

From the London Borough of Merton?s local champions producing a list of households ready for a Green Deal advisor visit to Warwickshire?s ?carbon dating? matching interested consumers with an open home demonstrating the results.??

And from Brighton?s? ?go early? Green Deal pilots to Church Stretton in Shropshire installing solid wall insulation in their Town Council offices.??

This is just a sample. There are over 200 more inspirational examples of how local communities are gearing up for increased energy efficiency and renewable energy generation through the LEAF fund.?

Next Steps

In terms of next steps, the Green Deal framework is now receiving its final touches.?

The primary legislation to make the Green Deal a reality is already on the statute books, we passed that last year.? And we are currently finalising the secondary legislation following the close of our public consultation.? Thank you to anyone who took the time to respond.? We are carefully going through the responses.

This has been a collaborative partnership.? Throughout this process stakeholders have been advising us on how to shape the framework to work with the grain of business? whilst offering robust consumer protection.?

And I hope it doesn?t stop there.? As we enter the lead up to launch, I look forward to further collaboration with you to help make this market a success that continues to grow right through to the end of the decade.?

Source: http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/news/ecobuild/ecobuild.aspx

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VMLIP hosts summit on the interactions of FMLA, ADA, and Workers ...

On their own, the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Workers? Compensation laws can be complicated.? But when they interact, even the most seasoned human resources (HR) professional can find it a challenge. ?

Recently, HRHero and BLR offered a training session, Mastering FMLA, ADA, and Worker?s Comp Overlap:? A Virtual Summer for HR Professions, for HR professionals as a refresher on these interactions with a focus on how to adapt and manage their policies and procedures.? Realizing this summit would be of value to our member employees with HR and worker?s compensation responsibilities, VML Insurance Programs (VMLIP) paid the registration fee and extended an invitation to our eligible members to join us to participate in this session.

VMLIP hosted this session on Tuesday, March 27, for 32 member employees with HR responsibilities at our offices in Glen Allen.?

The session provided information on:

• Key differences between a serious health condition under FMLA and an ADA-protected disability in light of recently enacted EEOC regulations implementing the ADAAA;
• Medical information employers may ask for in support of a request for accommodation under the ADA following FMLA-protected leave;
• How to evaluate whether an accommodation request is reasonable and the types of alternative accommodations employers should consider;
• Solutions to tricky administrative issues, such as tracking FMLA and personal time off or workers? compensation leave concurrently, and maintaining health-care coverage for employees who are out on leave;
• What to do when an employee runs out of FMLA leave but is still medically unable to return to work;
• Steps employers can take to determine if an employee is fit for duty following a leave of absence;
• How to discipline and terminate protected workers for unrelated policy infractions in a legally defensible way; and much more.

?We offered this session to our members because these laws are very complex individually and even more so when they interact with each other,? said Tina Stevens, director of human resources with VMLIP.? ?If these laws are not applied correctly, it could lead to an employment liability claim for the member.?

As a bonus, the session offered 5.25 hours of continuing education credit for certified HR employees.? Many who attended found the session informative.

• ?I enjoyed the seminar and thought that the individuals did a great job of covering all areas and aspects of FMLA.? I?ve been doing this quite a while now, however it is always good to get a refresher every now and then to make sure we stay on our toes.? ? James C. Fitzgerald, IPMA-CP, City of Waynesboro
• ?Thanks again for the VERY informative conference.? I found the information to be extremely helpful for administering these very complicated laws.? ? Julie Drent, Prince William County Service Authority
• ?Thank you for hosting the seminar, we greatly appreciated it.? ? Dell Pelzel, PHR, Southeastern Public Service Authority
• ?Thank you for inviting me to the FMLA, ADA, WC training.? It was very informative?? ? Jennifer Sears, City of Hopewell

VMLIP offers more than just coverage.? We are partners in risk management. How does your insurer stack up???Having all lines of coverage with VMLIP ensures that your?organization is receiving comprehensive coverage and a wide variety of value-added services tailored to Virginia?s local governmental entities.? Call for a quote today:?(800) 963-6800.? For more information on VMLIP visit: www.vmlins.org or follow us on Facebook.

** VMLIP blog postings are offered for VMLIP members to utilize in strengthening their risk management efforts.? See copyright information for clarification on sharing this information.

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Video: Eighth graders react to ?Bully? documentary

>>> there's a new film debuting that you may have heard a lot about, but it won't prepare you for the experience of seeing it. it's called "bully" and it depicts children being bullied. some of the problem has to deal with the graphic and offensive language that is part of the story.

>> everyone was laughing. and they knew it was hurting me, and they kept going.

>> what make s bully so riveting, so disturbing is the access the filmmaker has. unsanitized moments in the lives of real kids .

>> he called me a faggot.

>> how does it make you feel?

>> it breaks my heart.

>> alex libby was 12 when cameras spent a year at his school in iowa, getting to know kids who faced physical and verbal abuse.

>> they punched me in the jaw, strangle me, and knock things out of my head.

>> the film opens with a father who lost his son to suicide.

>> some kids had told him to go hang himself, that he's worthless. i think he got to the point where enough was enough.

>> two people to a seat. [ bleep ].

>> harsh language, including six f-words earned the film an r-rating. prul producers took the unusual step of releasing the film with no rating. we watched the trailer with these 13-year-olds at a middle school in bedford, new york.

>> do you want to see the film?

>> yes.

>> there are some people who think this movie is way too tough for kids.

>> is school too tough for kids? we see all that and more every day. that's just how kids act.

>> the film shined a spotlight on the impact of bullying, but school psychologists say kids will need help finding solutions.

>> teachers, administrators, school board , parents, those are the ones i would love to see see the film first and then begin the conversations and begin the hard work that schools and communities have to do around bullying.

>> he said some younger kids may be disturbed by the plotlines, like seeing 11-year-old tray wallace become a paul pairer.

>> alex told us he agreed to be filmed because he thought maybe it would make the bullies stop. instead, his family moved him out of state. look at him now.

>> now, i'm having the greatest time of my life , living it up.

>> alex and his parents were at the l.a. premier this week.

>> the whole process has kind of brought him out of the darkness and broke him out of his shell and gave us our son back.

>> i'm glad i'm actually making a difference. amazing.

>> bully, the movie, opens this weekend in new york and l.a. with plans to be in more cities by the end of april, but because the film is being released without a rating, it's up to individual theaters to desite, lester, whether or not to let kids in the door to see it.

>> incredibly sad. it sounds worth seeing. kate, thank you.

>> we have several resources on our website tonight, including hotlines for teebs who may be targets of bullies. nbcnightlynews.com. and kate snow continues her reporting on dateline on sunday with a new examination of a bullying case you may remember. dateline at sunday at 7:00, 6:00 central.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/46898906/

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Sell Gold Temecula CA Business Pays The Most Cash For Gold In ...

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Source: http://authorarticle.com/shopping-and-product-reviews/sell-gold-temecula-ca-business-pays-the-most-cash-for-gold-in-temeucla-ca.html

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Seagate GoFlex Satellite reportedly getting firmware update on March 19th

Still rockin' one of those (cargo) pocket-sized GoFlex streaming drives we showed you a while back? Marvelous. According to Gear Diary, Seagate's given the site intel saying it's getting ready to roll out a Satellite firmware refresh on the 19th of this month. Allegedly, the update will boost the limit on the number of devices that can be connected simultaneously, making the jump from three to eight, as well as promising to double your battery life in the process. The company says the updated firmware will come gratis to all "original devices" (hear that Androids?), while all new GoFlex drives are expected to ship with it on board. And now, you know.

Seagate GoFlex Satellite reportedly getting firmware update on March 19th originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 17 Mar 2012 07:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/17/seagate-goflex-satellite-firmware-update/

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World News - Karzai says he's at 'end of the rope' with US over ...

Afghan President Hamid Karzai expresses concern, Friday, over the manner in which the US is handling the investigation into the recent massacre of 16 Afghan civilians.

By msnbc.com news services

Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Friday that he was at "the end of the rope" with the United States, which he accused of not fully cooperating with an investigation into the massacre of 16 Afghan villagers. Karzai also questioned whether only one soldier could have been involved.

A series of blunders by the United States, including the killings in Kandahar province on Sunday and the inadvertent burning of copies of the Koran at a NATO base last month, has strained already tense relations between the countries.

NBC News: US soldier suspected in Afghanistan massacre identified

"This has been going on for too long. You have heard me before. It is by all means the end of the rope here," Karzai told reporters at the heavily fortified presidential palace.

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Flanked by senior officials, Karzai listened to village elders and the families of victims of the massacre, and dressed somberly in black for the start of an expected two days of talks to discuss the killings.

Some at the meeting shouted, some demanded answers, but all said they wanted any soldiers involved punished.

"I don't want any compensation. I don't want money, I don't want a trip to Mecca, I don't want a house. I want nothing. But what I absolutely want is the punishment of the Americans. This is my demand, my demand, my demand and my demand," said one villager, whose brother was killed in the nighttime slaughter.

Furious Afghans and lawmakers have demanded that the soldier responsible be tried in Afghanistan, but despite those calls, the U.S. staff sergeant was flown out on Wednesday to Kuwait. He reported was on his way to the United States on Friday.

"The army chief has just reported that the Afghan investigation team did not receive the cooperation that they expected from the United States. Therefore these are all questions that we'll be raising, and raising very loudly, and raising very clearly," Karzai said.

Karzai appeared to back the belief of the villagers, and many other Afghans including the country's parliament, that one gunman acting alone could not have killed so many people, and in different locations some distance apart.

"They believe it's not possible for one person to do that. In (one) family, in four rooms people were killed, women and children were killed, and they were all brought together in one room and then put on fire. That one man cannot do," Karzai said.

Staff Sergeant Robert Bales, accused of killing 16 Afghan civilians, has been deployed three times to Iraq where officials say he suffered a traumatic head injury. NBC's Miguel Almaguer reports.

Karzai also is now insisting that U.S. forces retreat from rural areas immediately and let Afghans take the lead in security next year. But the White House and the Pentagon said Friday that nothing would collapse the war plan, even after the massacre, the inadvertent Quran burnings by U.S. soldiers and the deaths of seven American servicemen at the hands of their allies.

President Barack Obama called Karzai on Friday seeking clarification on the demand concerning U.S. troops in rural areas, and White House press secretary Jay Carney said the leaders agreed to keep discussing the matter, which is at the heart of the military strategy.

"I think that the two men were very much on the same page" about gradually handing over security responsibility to Afghan forces, with U.S. and other international troops switching to a support role throughout Afghanistan sometime in 2013, Carney said. A final transition to Afghan control is supposed to happen by the end of 2014.

Polls have shown that up to 60 percent of Americans say it's time to end the war in Afghanistan. And that's not lost on the administration.

"The Afghan people are tired of war," Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, just back from Afghanistan, acknowledged on Friday. "The American people share some of that tiredness after 10 years of war, as well. All of that's understandable."?

More from msnbc.com and NBC News:

Follow us on Twitter: @msnbc_world

Source: http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/16/10722610-karzai-says-hes-a-end-of-the-rope-with-us-over-afghanistan-massacre

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How to best help your child lose weight: Lose weight yourself

ScienceDaily (Mar. 14, 2012) ? A study by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and The University of Minnesota indicates that a parent's weight change is a key contributor to the success of a child's weight loss in family-based treatment of childhood obesity. The results were just published in the advanced online edition of the journal Obesity.

"We looked at things such as parenting skills and styles, or changing the home food environment, and how they impacted a child's weight," said Kerri N. Boutelle, PhD, associate professor of pediatrics and psychiatry at UC San Diego and Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego. "The number one way in which parents can help an obese child lose weight? Lose weight themselves. In this study, it was the most important predictor of child weight loss."

Recent data suggests that 31 percent of children in the United States are overweight or obese, or between four and five million children. Current treatment programs generally require participation by both parents and children in a plan that combines nutrition education and exercise with behavior therapy techniques.

"Parents are the most significant people in a child's environment, serving as the first and most important teachers," said Boutelle "They play a significant role in any weight-loss program for children, and this study confirms the importance of their example in establishing healthy eating and exercise behaviors for their kids."

The researchers looked at eighty parent-child groups with an 8 to 12-year-old overweight or obese child, who participated in a parent-only or parent + child treatment program for five months.

The study focused on evaluating the impact of three types of parenting skills taught in family-based behavioral treatment for childhood obesity, and the impact of each on the child's body weight: the parent modeling behaviors to promote their own weight loss, changes in home food environment, and parenting style and techniques (for example, a parent's ability to help limit the child's eating behavior, encouraging the child and participating in program activities).

Consistent with previously published research, parent BMI change was the only significant predictor of child's weight loss.

The researchers concluded that clinicians should focus on encouraging parents to lose weight to help their overweight or obese child in weight management.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of California - San Diego, via Newswise.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Kerri N. Boutelle, Guy Cafri and Scott Crow. Parent Predictors of Child Weight Change in Family-Based Behavioral Obesity Treatment. Obesity, 2012 DOI: 10.1038/oby.2012.48

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/0b4iDlbd4iU/120314170749.htm

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Huge 50% North Face Gear At Backcountry

Source: http://www.getoutdoors.com/goblog/index.php?/archives/4396-Huge-50%-North-Face-Gear-At-Backcountry.html

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Need A New iPad? Here?s How Much Apple Will Shell Out For Your Old One

If you're looking to get a new iPad and happen to have an old one (and by old, I mean the iPad 2), Apple just made it that much easier. Apple's Reuse and Recycling Program has been updated today to reflect the values for various models of the iPad 2. The program offers Apple gift cards in exchange for your old gadgetry, which will hopefully entice you to trade-in instead of lopping your perfectly good components into a land fill. Not only are you saving a few bucks, but you're being green. And more importantly, the savings you'll get by trading in your iPad 2 for a new one are pretty great.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/bMpnhYbFa0A/

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Survey Shows 56 Percent Of US Households Own Current Gaming ...

March 12th, 2012 at 2:16 pm

?

Nielsen Group recently has revealed its annual survey that covered the video gaming business and related trends. It has reported that there are now around 56 percent of US households that own at least the latest generation gaming console. That is up from 50 percent from last year. The survey also indicated that there in an increase seen in mobile and tablet gaming, which helped provide a 7 percent increase in total gaming time this year compared to that of last year. These numbers may be indicating that the gaming sector may be undergoing renewed dynamism min its recent transition.

The survey also indicated that 4 out of 5 of those interested in the next generation gaming console are current gaming console owners. Gamers are also seen as increasingly playing using multiple screens. Around 24 percent now play video games using two or more screens on a PC, console or a mobile device. It?s up from 17 percent in 2009.

The survey also showed that there seems to be an increasing overlap and competition for gaming space in mobile and handheld devices as well as tablets. There are around 66 percent of households with kids ages 6 to 12 that has a Nintendo DS or a Sony PSP along with an Apple iOS device.? Another important trend that the survey found was that the Web has played an increasing role when it comes to generating awareness for game launches. More and more gamers are spending more time on the Internet when not spending their time on gaming. This may indicate a shift in ad spending from print to digital when it comes to promoting and launching new games or game consoles. In addition, shopping for games online has increased 3 percent compared to last year while other means of purchasing games experienced declines.

?

Tags: gaming console survey, gaming consoles, gaming sector, mobile gaming, nielsen survey, us households, video gaming, video gaming survey

Source: http://www.ys.com/2012/03/12/survey-shows-56-percent-of-us-households-own-current-gaming-console/

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China starts to question strict schooling methods

China has long been known for its highly disciplined approach to education, but parents and lawmakers alike are beginning to question the wisdom of putting so much pressure on young children.

China's tough approach to bringing up children was made famous worldwide last year by the Chinese-American professor Amy Chua, who told in her book "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" how she insisted on top marks from her kids.

Her description of making her young children study for hours and take compulsory music lessons shocked readers in the West, but not in China, where pupils spend long hours in class and strict parenting is common.

Even four-olds put in eight hours a day and for older children, the school day can be as much as 12 hours long, and they can typically expect between two and four hours of homework on top of that.

But Chinese lawmaker and professor Zhu Yongxin told AFP the country's parliament was actively considering during its 10-day annual session, which began last week, changes to the way Chinese children are educated.

"The Tiger Mother or Wolf Dad models are not appropriate for our system," said Zhu, referring to Chua and a Chinese father who said that regular beatings helped his children get into one of the country's top universities.

Chinese media have cited numerous examples of extreme parenting in recent months, most recently a man dubbed the Eagle Dad, who forced his young son to run almost naked in a bitterly cold New York.

The father, He Liesheng, said he was attempting to toughen up his son, but video footage of the incident that he had posted on the Internet caused an online storm of criticism.

Zhu said Chinese parents were now seeking what he termed a "less painful" education for their children -- partly as a result of the one-child rule, and partly due to increased access to Western schools.

"Since China has reformed and opened up -- particularly with regards to foreign education and learning -- schools are now more open to introducing an innovative thinking culture," he said.

In recent years, China has seen a major expansion of alternative teaching establishments such as those that operate under the educational principles of Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner.

Those schools -- known in China as Waldorf schools -- begin teaching reading, writing and maths at a later stage than most traditional establishments, and place a greater emphasis on other skills such as music and drawing.

The first was set up in China in 2004, and another six opened last year.

Yu Shufen decided to send her seven-year-old daughter, Duo Duo, to a Waldorf school on the outskirts of Beijing as she believes there is too much pressure in the state system.

"It can be too intense for the children if there are many lessons and exams," she told AFP.

"Their physical and mental development will suffer under this environment. So I never thought to take my daughter to a state school."

China's rapidly expanding private education sector will be worth $80 billion this year, up from $60 billion in 2009, according to research by Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

According to Beijing-based parenting expert and author Yanhong Wheeler, parents are beginning to change their attitudes towards learning in response to China's changing role in the world.

"In recent years, China has developed a more important role in global affairs, and so it needs to develop a more diverse range of talents among its young, talents which have an independent and creative spirit," she said.

Wheeler also said that as parents became less dependent on their children in their autumn years, they could afford to offer them more independence.

"More and more Chinese parents don't need their children to take care of them in their old age. Instead, they can let their children be free and independent."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/china-starts-strict-schooling-methods-044028877.html

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Personal Finance ? Delivering The most effective Of Finance

Inside the present planet, every single and each and every individual is searching for some external source of finance to cope with the delinquencies with the existing environment. An apparent choice would be looking for refuge in loans for all of your needs. And as of late, there?s no dearth of the lenders providing inexpensive personal finance for all your requirements. All you need to do is search nicely. Let us talk about all of the related details about affordable personal finance like exactly where and how you should search to find the top nominal rates.

There are many sources to get personal finance of UK. But to acquire personal finance of UK in the simplest way and with no hassle free loan lending approach, go for World Wide Internet. It provides you quick access to numerous lenders, that are serving the requirements of borrowers for decades. Just by going to their sites, you can take your choose and using the monetary help, you can easily meet all of your needs.

Poor credit borrowers can also take up edward pennings statestreet. To compensate for their negative credit history, they?re charged a higher rate of interest. This rate of interest might be lowered by appropriate researching for an cost-effective deal for personal finance UK.

The rates of interest for personal finance UK can be lowered by proper researching on the internet. Through the online mode, the borrower can apply for the personal finance UK and get quotes from different lenders. A thorough comparison could be made by the borrower and also the lowest deal could be selected for the finance.

Personal finance UK is accessible for the borrowers to assist fulfill their needs. they can avail this chance as per their need and entail maximum advantages.

Ben Gannon is actually a senior monetary analyst at Affordable Finance UK with an acumen for enterprise and loans. In recent years he has taken up to provide independent economic advice by way of his informative articles.

As implied by its extremely name, cheap personal finance might be availed for nominal rates and are therefore synonymous with secured personal finance, also. For these loans, you may must offer you some of your assets as collateral to secure the loan quantity, which will probably be seized by your lender, in case of non repayment with the loan amount.

Author: Emanuel Waithe

This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged finance, money, personal finance. Bookmark the permalink.

Source: http://carhirelanzaroteairport.org/personal-finance-delivering-the-most-effective-of-finance/

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Building Software programs Of Real estate Grants | Smart Visuals

There are plenty of homes grants or loans readily available. If you have very long thought of finding their own personal property, grants are easily accessible. Buying a offer might be uncomplicated particularly if are a first time home buyer. With these sorts of funds, you often haven?t any obligation to settle your allow, making taking your individual house a real possibility.

On the other hand, you can?t say everyone can get a single. These kinds of funds are usually awarded with different pair of requirements which normally features personal want and also salary Grants. If you are contemplating applying for 1 given that you won?t want to pay money for a residence in case you are able a person, that is actually a pointless to attempt. Moreover, it would be more difficult to acquire one particular if you previously own numerous homes to the title.

There are many forms of grants out there. They are presented even when you want to increase as well as repair your existing house. Underneath are the most widespread:

Electrical power Performance

Inside try and reduce vitality squandering of resources and our influence on environmental surroundings, grants or loans are shown to cope with electricity troubles at your home. This type of variety of funds is frequently accustomed to restoration or even boost the way your house uses energy or receives energy from your electricity corporations plus the surroundings.

Diy Guidance Products

To get prices concerning property refurbishments plus repairs, housing awards called redecorating assist plans can be obtained. Included in this are give plans intended for aging adults, low-income, outlying, vets, in addition to particular requirements communities.

Owning a home

Pertaining to skilled inhabitants who do not plenty of profits to order a family house that belongs to them, proudly owning scholarships offer school funding programs. Buying awards may be used to get help out with deposit and closing charges as well as property finance loan insurance cover.

Loan refinancing

When you currently have an existing mortgage with your property, there are plenty of replacing software programs that will assist you cut costs as a result of refinancing mortgage, home finance loan insurance plus homeowners? grants.

Hire Help

Low-income, older and special demands numbers are usually targeted more specifically by simply lease help plans. Most of these hire aid programs not merely provide very affordable casing in order to those communities, a few of these software programs also can deliver reductions with utility bills.

Countryside Houses

Low-income farm People in the usa normally takes benefit from countryside property allow software programs. The reason for outlying houses applications is usually regarding home remodeling and/or fix or even guide the differently abled man or woman relax in their apartment.

Condition Homes Funds

Most says produce an assigned budget for their unique state allows. These are resources to aid low-income folks as well as households with housing requires.

Before applying for starters, you should study around you can about it. Often be while professional as you?re able, not just for simply by reading through online details on such scholarships but by designing message or calls to help troubled federal government offices or perhaps businesses.

Ultimately, when you have accomplished your homework, increase your chances of becoming awarded 1 through wanting to know and looking through simple methods to approach building the housing allows applications.

Source: http://smart-visuals.com/building-software-programs-of-real-estate-grants/

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Outsourcing Management - Belcanto Business Studio

Outsourcing should have option is part and parcel of strategic business and HR human company. So, when talk outsourcing is an integral part of emancipate competitiveness of the company and not just the economic and cost-efficiency considerations alone. The need for outsourcing the day increasing in line with the increasing competition in the business world. The company was forced to focus on their core businessman and give jobs to non-core to the outsourcing companies. The Benefit is a more focused and submit works of non-core to the company the more experts, more focus, more competent in their jobs.

Managing outsourcing is not an easy job, to manage outsourcing required special skill, to which HRM held a workshop that will provide supplies for a manager, supervisor and the entire staff in managing, handle and escorting policy of the company to perform the outsourced for some kind of work.

Source: http://www.studiobelcanto.net/outsourcing-management-579.html

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Source: http://mack39.typepad.com/blog/2012/03/monteverdi-durant-north-face-fleece-arts-and-entertainment-humor.html

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Bite the hand that feeds...

Public release date: 9-Mar-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Barbra Gonzalez
barbgo@rsmas.miami.edu
305-421-4704
University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science

Using satellite technology to evaluate the effects of ecotourism on tiger sharks

LONDON (March 8, 2012) -- Ecotourism activities that use food to attract and concentrate wildlife for viewing have become a controversial topic in ecological studies. This debate is best exemplified by the shark dive tourism industry, a highly lucrative and booming global market. Use of chum or food to attract big sharks to areas where divers can view the dwindling populations of these animals has generated significant criticism because of the potential for ecological and behavioral impacts to the species. However, the debate has been largely rhetorical due to a lack of sufficient data to make any conclusions either way.

Five University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science researchers, Drs. Neil Hammerschlag, Jerald S. Ault and Jiangang Luo, and graduate students Austin Gallagher and Julia Wester, combined efforts to tackle this issue. In a paper published in the British Ecological Society's Functional Ecology titled, "Don't bite the hand that feeds: Assessing ecological impacts of provisioning ecotourism on an apex marine predator," the team conducted the first satellite tagging study to examine the long-term and long range movement patterns of tiger sharks (the largest apex predator in tropical waters) in response to dive tourism. Video commentary is available at http://youtu.be/9iFl7BxbnXQ.

"We studied two separate populations of tiger sharks: one that originated in Florida and the other in the Bahamas," says Hammerschlag. At the Bahamas site, nicknamed Tiger Beach, chum is widely used to attract sharks for dive tourism purposes. In contrast, shark feeding for ecotourism in Florida waters is illegal.

The team hypothesized that Tiger Beach sharks would exhibit restricted movements around the dive site, especially when compared to tiger sharks tagged in Florida. However, what they discovered was totally different -- Tiger Beach sharks did not exhibit restricted movements near the dive site. Instead, the Bahamas sharks occupied an area over 8500 km2 in size almost five times greater than Florida tiger sharks.

"Not only did we discover that ecotourism provisioning did not affect tiger shark behavior, we found that tiger sharks undergo previously unknown long-distance migrations up to 3,500 km into the open Atlantic. These apparent feeding forays follow the Gulf Stream, an area of high biological productivity that concentrates shark prey," said Ault.

"Given the economic and conservation benefits we believe managers should not prevent shark diving tourism out of hand until sufficient data were to demonstrate otherwise," added Hammerschlag.

Shark finning, the practice of catching a shark, slicing off its fins and then disposing of the body at sea, is resulting in immense shark population declines worldwide. Fins are sold to support the growing demand for shark fin soup, an Asian delicacy. In a 2011 study by UM's Gallagher & Hammerschlag, they showed that shark dive tourism generates more money to local economies than does killing the sharks.

###

About UM and the R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program:

The University of Miami (UM) is the largest private research institution in the southeastern United States. The University's mission is to provide quality education, attract and retain outstanding students, support the faculty and their research, and build an endowment for University initiatives. Founded in 2009, the R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program is a joint program of the Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science and the Leonard and Jayne Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy. The Rosenstiel School offers one of largest, most comprehensive marine and atmospheric programs in the nation. The Abess Center encourages innovative interdisciplinary initiatives that bridge the gap between hard science and environmental policy. For more information, please visit www.rjd.miami.edu

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 9-Mar-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Barbra Gonzalez
barbgo@rsmas.miami.edu
305-421-4704
University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science

Using satellite technology to evaluate the effects of ecotourism on tiger sharks

LONDON (March 8, 2012) -- Ecotourism activities that use food to attract and concentrate wildlife for viewing have become a controversial topic in ecological studies. This debate is best exemplified by the shark dive tourism industry, a highly lucrative and booming global market. Use of chum or food to attract big sharks to areas where divers can view the dwindling populations of these animals has generated significant criticism because of the potential for ecological and behavioral impacts to the species. However, the debate has been largely rhetorical due to a lack of sufficient data to make any conclusions either way.

Five University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science researchers, Drs. Neil Hammerschlag, Jerald S. Ault and Jiangang Luo, and graduate students Austin Gallagher and Julia Wester, combined efforts to tackle this issue. In a paper published in the British Ecological Society's Functional Ecology titled, "Don't bite the hand that feeds: Assessing ecological impacts of provisioning ecotourism on an apex marine predator," the team conducted the first satellite tagging study to examine the long-term and long range movement patterns of tiger sharks (the largest apex predator in tropical waters) in response to dive tourism. Video commentary is available at http://youtu.be/9iFl7BxbnXQ.

"We studied two separate populations of tiger sharks: one that originated in Florida and the other in the Bahamas," says Hammerschlag. At the Bahamas site, nicknamed Tiger Beach, chum is widely used to attract sharks for dive tourism purposes. In contrast, shark feeding for ecotourism in Florida waters is illegal.

The team hypothesized that Tiger Beach sharks would exhibit restricted movements around the dive site, especially when compared to tiger sharks tagged in Florida. However, what they discovered was totally different -- Tiger Beach sharks did not exhibit restricted movements near the dive site. Instead, the Bahamas sharks occupied an area over 8500 km2 in size almost five times greater than Florida tiger sharks.

"Not only did we discover that ecotourism provisioning did not affect tiger shark behavior, we found that tiger sharks undergo previously unknown long-distance migrations up to 3,500 km into the open Atlantic. These apparent feeding forays follow the Gulf Stream, an area of high biological productivity that concentrates shark prey," said Ault.

"Given the economic and conservation benefits we believe managers should not prevent shark diving tourism out of hand until sufficient data were to demonstrate otherwise," added Hammerschlag.

Shark finning, the practice of catching a shark, slicing off its fins and then disposing of the body at sea, is resulting in immense shark population declines worldwide. Fins are sold to support the growing demand for shark fin soup, an Asian delicacy. In a 2011 study by UM's Gallagher & Hammerschlag, they showed that shark dive tourism generates more money to local economies than does killing the sharks.

###

About UM and the R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program:

The University of Miami (UM) is the largest private research institution in the southeastern United States. The University's mission is to provide quality education, attract and retain outstanding students, support the faculty and their research, and build an endowment for University initiatives. Founded in 2009, the R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program is a joint program of the Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science and the Leonard and Jayne Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy. The Rosenstiel School offers one of largest, most comprehensive marine and atmospheric programs in the nation. The Abess Center encourages innovative interdisciplinary initiatives that bridge the gap between hard science and environmental policy. For more information, please visit www.rjd.miami.edu

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-03/uomr-bth030812.php

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A political tip sheet for the rest of us

Republican presidential candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, accompanied by his wife Callista, speaks at a rally in Montgomery, Ala., Wednesday, March 7, 2012. (AP Photo/David Bundy)

Republican presidential candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, accompanied by his wife Callista, speaks at a rally in Montgomery, Ala., Wednesday, March 7, 2012. (AP Photo/David Bundy)

Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum holds a copy of the U.S. Constitution as he speaks during a rally, Wednesday, March 7, 2012, in Lenexa, Kan. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? A political tip sheet for the rest of us outside the Washington Beltway for Thursday, March:

THURSDAY'S RECAP

THE FAT LADY HASN'T EVEN WARMED UP: The contests are far from over, but at this rate of gathering delegates, Mitt Romney's rivals won't catch him unless they pull off an unlikely fight at the Republican National Convention in August. Romney is on a delegate-winning pace to secure the nomination in June, and at their current rate none of his GOP foes will reach even half the number needed. The former Massachusetts governor's six victories on Super Tuesday netted him more than 200 delegates to the party's convention. That's more than twice as many as any other candidate. And to date, Romney has won 55 percent of the delegates at stake in primaries and caucuses. Romney isn't likely to reach the 1,144 delegates needed to clinch the Republican nomination until summer. That's a lot of time for slip-ups and intrigue ? and plenty of incentive for Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich to stay in the race and try to make up ground.

HE'LL DO: Mitt Romney faces a tough sell in the Deep South. With Mississippi and Alabama primaries coming up next Tuesday, there's concern that he's too slick, not really a conservative. In a region where the evangelical vote is important, some are skeptical about his Mormon faith. But if Romney wins the Republican nomination and it's a November choice between him and Democratic President Barack Obama, the former Massachusetts governor may be just good enough for some Southerners. "If push comes to shove and he gets the nomination, I'll go in the voting booth like this and vote for him," says Mississippi retiree David Wilke, holding his nose.

WHEN ADS ATTACK: The Red White and Blue Fund, the super PAC supporting Rick Santorum, is releasing a television ad that swipes at both Romney and Gingrich, casting them as similar to President Barack Obama ? and presses Santorum's overarching message that he's the most conservative candidate in the race. But it also acknowledges that Gingrich is a formidable opponent in the Southern states. Gingrich represented Georgia in Congress for 20 years. And while Santorum could afford to ignore Gingrich in contests in the North and Midwest, Santorum seems to know he can't do the same in Mississippi and Alabama.

DINING FOR DOLLARS: President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama were dining Thursday with three donors to his re-election campaign, but this wasn't the usual high-ticket fundraiser. Donations weren't even required, but the campaign asked for contributions of at least $3 for a chance to win a private meal with the first couple. The Obamas were joined by a nonprofit executive from Nashville, a former social worker from Wauwatosa, Wis., and a retired school administrator from Cambridge, Mass., and their guests for the third "Dinner with Barack," The president's campaign has emphasized small donations from the masses, pointing to it as a sign of his broad appeal.

DUELING ALABAMA ENDORSEMENTS:

? Romney: Former Gov. Bob Riley.

? Santorum: San Diego Chargers quarterback and Alabama native Philip Rivers

WHERE THEY'LL BE ON FRIDAY:

? Gingrich: Mississippi

? Paul: Kansas

? Romney: Mississippi, Alabama

? Santorum: Alabama, Kansas

? Obama: Virginia, Texas

DELEGATE TRACKER

Totals after Super Tuesday voting. Twenty-one delegates from Super Tuesday have yet to be allocated. It takes 1,144 delegates to secure the Republican nomination for president.

? Romney: 421

? Santorum: 181

? Gingrich: 107

? Paul: 47

IN THEIR WORDS:

? "This race has been a roller coaster, up and down. I believe with your help next Tuesday when we win here and we win in Alabama we'll be back up again." ? Gingrich.

? "If we win in Mississippi, this will be a two-person race." ? Santorum.

?"I'm learning to say 'y'all' and I like grits. Strange things are happening to me." ? Romney, joking about turning into an "unofficial Southerner" while campaigning in Pascagoula, Miss.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-03-08-Outside%20the%20Beltway/id-4a7ab8b6a0594732a3ca8e6a1c254e1f

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